Documentary & Portraits by J A Mortram

“When you see a news report about someone beating someone up in a hospital because they weren’t getting the right medication or doing something bad because they weren’t getting the correct help, you see a picture of him. When you see negative things about people with mental illness, you feel that’s how people feel about you.”

Throughout the course of 2014, I’ve visited David frequently, documenting his daily routines, listening to his memories, fears, dreams and frustrations as he has navigated a year filled with challenges as a result of his being blinded in a freak accident, and the loss of his beloved Mother, Eugene. Eugene’s passing has left a wound, […]

“The biggest worry for me is my bank, my bills and direct debits not going through, I mean, I’m £350 overdrawn right now and I get letters coming through my door, bills, the bank, benefits letters and that’s what I worry about the most.”

“All the millionaires and that, they are sat there in their big houses and judge us. The benefits people always fob us off, every week they say ‘You can’t expect us to give you money straight away.’ and yeah, that’s alright but you don’t know how we have to live, what state we have to live in and you’re there going home to your nice food, to your brand new car, a seven bedroom house and were left here and no one has a care in the world.”